


Honestly

by Nary



Category: Mary Russell - Laurie R. King
Genre: F/M, Female Homosexuality, First Time, Friendship, Male Homosexuality, Marriage of Convenience, Straight For You, Vaginal Sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-11-30
Updated: 2010-11-30
Packaged: 2017-10-13 11:26:51
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 760
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/136846
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nary/pseuds/Nary
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Come in, Mrs. Hughenfort," Marsh says, teasing her in a way he wouldn't if he were completely sober. "Welcome to your honeymoon."</p>
            </blockquote>





	Honestly

"Come in, Mrs. Hughenfort," Marsh says, teasing her in a way he wouldn't if he were completely sober. "Welcome to your honeymoon."

"I swear, I'll never get used to being called that. Not if we're married for a thousand years." There's another bottle of champagne in the room, and two glasses, and Iris knows she's already had enough, but it seems a shame for it to go to waste. She pops the cork and somehow it's absolutely hilarious when it froths out over her hand and drips onto the carpet. Marsh has to pour the drinks in the end, because she's laughing too hard.

"To marriages of convenience," she says when she's calm again, raising her glass, and ruins the effect by giggling.

"To old friends," he replies, more seriously. "I can't thank you enough, Iris..."

"Oh, stop it," she says. "It finally got my parents off my back, so we're even and you can stop thanking me." Her legs start to go a bit wobbly, so she moves to sit on the bed. He joins her there, perched a careful yard away from her, looking uncertain and more than a little uncomfortable. "Oh. We didn't talk about this part, did we," she realizes.

"Not as such. We don't have to do anything, of course. I mean, I should sleep here, but only for show, you know, because we don't want it said that I walked out on our wedding night. God, the gossip would be…"

"Marsh?"

"Yes?"

"Shut up," she says kindly, and moves down the bed to sit beside him, one hand on his leg, which is quivering with barely-suppressed tension. "We could, if you want. I've never…well, not with a man, at any rate, and if it's going to be anyone, I'd like it to be you."

He darts a sidelong glance at her. "Are you sure?"

She lets him know how sure she is by kissing him. It feels strange at first, like kissing one's brother, awkward and somehow wrong, but they keep trying, tongues shyly touching, teeth clinking against each other. She can't help chuckling nervously when he starts to undress her, for all they've seen each other naked a dozen times before – it wasn't like this. Her hands shake at the buttons of his trousers, not from fear, but the strain of keeping a lid on the bubbling ridiculousness she feels. _It's Marsh, for God's sake_ , she thinks.

He's not even half hard yet, probably feeling as absurd and uncomfortable as she is. "Sorry," he says, abashed, and she can't help it, she laughs out loud.

"Marsh, are you seriously apologizing for not finding me sufficiently arousing? Because believe me, I'm not offended. Whatever you have to do is fine."

That seems to relax him a little. He smiles and gives himself a few quick strokes of the wrist to get properly ready. She suspects he's thinking about Ali, but she doesn't ask. It seems to do the trick, and soon he's between her legs, trying manfully, if not very skillfully, to warm her up with his fingers. She moves slightly to help him get the right spot, murmurs a few subtle suggestions – "A little harder, that's it," – and finds that after a while she's actually getting surprisingly close. Marsh's brow is furrowed in concentration, his head bent to try and see what he's doing, and he's startled when she gasps "Please, do it now!"

There's some further awkwardness of positioning, and they laugh and wince when Iris sits up to try and help with the blankets, causing them to knock their heads together. Finally, everything's in place. It still feels strange, and yes, it hurts a little when he first enters her, but it's good too. Marsh's eyes are screwed shut until Iris strokes his cheek and then they flutter open wide, amazed, as if he sees her, _truly_ sees her, for the first time. Her hips rock in the same steady motion as his, quickening gradually, until she finally arches her back and shudders in release. He carries on for a few more minutes, but at last he stiffens above her and his breath rushes out of him in a great, staggering groan before he falls.

"Will you and Ali leave soon?" she asks afterwards, as they lie side by side in the rumpled bed.

"Soon enough."

"Will he be jealous?" she teases him gently.

"Iris," he answers tenderly, and takes her hand, "without you, I couldn't be with him. He's as grateful for this – for everything – as I am. Honestly."


End file.
